40 Days for Life campaign is now under way (February 25

Amen!!!!!!!!!!

Links to FReep about Obama speaking at Notre Dame. He must be stopped.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2210995/posts?page=28#28

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2210995/posts?page=87#87

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2210995/posts?page=101#101

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2210995/posts?page=102#102

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2212664/posts?page=29#29

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2212664/posts?page=37#37

A Pro-Life Prayer For Our President And Public Officials

Baby with Tear Lord God, Author of Life and Source of Eternal Life,

Move the hearts of all our public officials and especially our President, to fulfill their responsibilities worthily and well to all those entrusted to their care.

Help them in their special leadership roles, to extend the mantle of protection to the most vulnerable, especially the defenseless unborn, whose lives are threatened with extermination by an indifferent society.

Guide all public officials by your wisdom and grace to cease supporting any law that fails to protect the fundamental good that is human life itself, which is a gift from God and parents.

You are the Protector and Defender of the lives of the innocent unborn. Change the hearts of those who compromise the call to protect and defend life. Bring our nation to the values that have made us a great nation, a society that upholds the values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all.

Mary, the Mother of the living, help us to bear witness to the Gospel of Life with our lives and our laws, through Christ, Our Lord.

Amen.

Imprimatur: January 22, 2009

Most Reverend Robert J. Baker, Bishop of Birmingham in Alabama

Awesome prayer! AMEN!

------------------------------------------------------
DAY 28 INTENTION
------------------------------------------------------

Pray that those standing in peaceful vigil will extend mercy and grace to others as they remember that Christ did not treat us as our sins deserve.

------------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
------------------------------------------------------

"You have heard it was said, 'you shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you."

-- Matthew 5:43-44

------------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Carmen Pate, Point of View
------------------------------------------------------

Perhaps it is obvious by now that not everyone thinks this campaign is a great idea! In fact, those on the front lines standing in peaceful vigil are perhaps being cursed and hated for what God has called you to do.

Because we are all fallen creatures, our natural response may not be as Christ-like as we would hope it would be.

So, how do we keep our natural response in check, while allowing the Holy Spirit to empower us to love, bless, do good, and pray for those who hate us or would do us harm?

Consider first the Holiness of God.

It seems that sin has clouded our ability to think clearly about God's nature. We simply don't have a clue of how outraged God is by our sin, what an insult sin is to His person, or how sin fires the flames of His wrath.

Praise God that He didn't leave us in our depravity destined for His divine wrath!

Ephesians 2:4-5 says, "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in sin, made us alive together with Christ; by grace you have been saved."

Because of God's mercy and grace towards us, we who receive Him receive eternal Hope. Those who curse you, hate you, spitefully mistreat you and persecute you need that same Hope.

That is the only way we can ever expect them to behave differently.

Ask the Holy Spirit to love them -- through you -- so they are drawn to the Hope that is in you, that is Christ Jesus.

------------------------------ ------------------------
PRAYER
------------------------------------------------------

Heavenly Father, may we reflect your character of grace and kindness to those who hate us and curse us.

Guard our hearts and our tongues as we respond in love to words and actions meant to rile us or cause us harm.

Let others see the Hope that is Christ in all we say and do. In His precious name we pray, Amen.

In SD the opposition is pretty tame. During nice weather you get an occasional carload of teens or those in their early 20's who drive past and yell obscenities, but it wasn't much more than that, whenever I have been out there. I am thankful for this devotional, as God reminded me of this very thing when there were several one day who had driven past and yelled at me. The SD PP is located across the street from a local high school. There were many days where a friend and I walked around the school and prayed for the students and against the seeds that PP was sowing there, before praying at PP. On my year vigil, God sent a few of those students to talk to me. Those driving by or walking by, need our prayers as much as those who are entering the driveway of PP. The prayers we offer up for those passing may save lives as well as those offered up for those entering PP. I have to keep reminding myself this is essentially a spiritual battle, and God cares for the souls of all those who pass by or enter. Battle is really against Satan and his minions, not against the person who is confused and entering PP for what they believe is the answer to what they view as their problem.

I am also concerned for the lives of those who are holding vigil. Please stand with me in pray to cover them and their safety. Whenever we make in-roads into territory that Satan has a firm hold of, he will retaliate....with inflicting sickness, financial issues, accidents, struggles with our family members, anything that will deter us from the calling to fight the battle against him and PP. In the economic and political unrest that we are currently in, I pray even moreso for the protection and safety of all who are at vigil.

Father God, protect our hearts and minds as we are at vigil, whether it is a presence in front of PP, at work, or at home. Give us Your eyes, to see we are there to pray for those who are entering the facilities as well as all who pass by. Help us to see with Your heart, that this is souls at stake not just another nameless face or carload of misguided youth. Father God, I pray that Your hand of protection be on all of Your children who have taken up the call to be in prayer for LIFE. Keep Your guardian and warring angels round about them, to protect them from the onslaughts of the enemy, in whatever form or shape they may be coming. Protect their families, jobs, finances, property and possessions, in Jesus Name. Help us to always keep our focus on You, and Your mission for us in this life. In this new prayer closet You have called us to, be ever near, ever watchful, ever present. Help us all to feel that presence in a way it has never been known before.

For those who are struggling with the fasting, Lord, strengthen them. Bless them with energy, an increased fervor and hope. Bless them with a renewed relationship and closeness to You.

Father God we thank and praise Your Holy Name for the hearts You are touching be a part of this 40-Days for Life. May that call stay on their hearts, minds and lives when the 40 days is complete, and bring them to a position of constant warrior for You rather than someone in reserve.

Father God, bring a revival in this movement and in this country, in the Mighty Name of Jesus! Let us be a part of it. We ask this all in Jesus Precious and Mighty Name, Decree it in Jesus Blood, Amen!!

------------------------------------------------------
DAY 29 INTENTION
------------------------------------------------------

We pray for the grace to be strong when others ridicule or oppose us.

------------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
------------------------------------------------------

Anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

--Luke 14:27

------------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life
------------------------------------------------------

To stand up for what is right means we stand against what is wrong, and that means that those who love what is wrong will oppose us, just as they opposed Christ. Taking up the cross means we continue speaking and standing for the right even when that opposition comes.

We experience this, in particular, when we are out on the streets, where people are not expecting the pro-life message and where they did not go to hear it. We must remember to never take the opposition personally.

When people ridicule or yell at us, we might get a guilty feeling or be tempted to think we did something wrong. We did not.

The insults are not being hurled at us personally, but rather at the truth of what we are standing for, and at the demands of the moral law.

There are many who are trying to run away from those demands, or who have managed to tuck the abortion problem away into a distant corner of their minds where it can no longer disturb them.

By standing publicly for the cause of life, we have short-circuited that denial and frustrated those efforts to ignore the issue. Therefore, some will be angry, perhaps not fully realizing why.

------------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
------------------------------------------------------

Lord, thank you for the grace of being pro-life, and of standing strong when others may ridicule or oppose me.

During this 40 Day campaign, may your peace fill my soul, especially when I may endure the opposition of others, and may I become more like your crucified and risen Son. Amen.

THE ANNUNCIATION: MARY'S OPENNESS TO THE WILL OF GOD [Pope John Paul II] (Catholic Caucus)

I wish to send a special blessing to women awaiting a child and especially to those who are in difficult situations. To all I say: A child conceived is always an invitation to live and to hope."

A pro-lifie message from Pope John Paul II!

This link works!

THE ANNUNCIATION: MARY'S OPENNESS TO THE WILL OF GOD [Pope John Paul II] (Catholic Caucus)

PING!

Thank you again for taking over! The miracle of this past weekend will last forever.

Is it possible, do you have time....to post some of the major PRAISE REPORTS that are coming in on the 40-days devotionals? I think it would be beneficial for us, and bring hope!

------------------------------------------------------
DAY 30 INTENTION
------------------------------------------------------

Let us pray that pastors may not be distracted from the priority of caring for human lives.

------------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
------------------------------------------------------

In those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.

-- Acts 6:1

------------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION
------------------------------------------------------

More folks learning left some yearning.

It is the dawning of a new day. There is much excitement in Jerusalem. Many who dedicated themselves to the faith became disciples (the word disciple means "learner").

The unprecedented church growth was miraculous and undoubtedly brought much satisfaction to the new leadership. The apostles, however, were about to experience growing pains in their master plan of evangelism.

Projects that engage the community, especially those that are evangelistic in nature, are high on the list of priorities for every duty-bound pastor.

Church attendance is a constant concern for every pastor and often his or her worth is measured by it. Unfortunately, just as the original twelve pastors in Acts, they can be so focused on getting people in that they inadvertently end up pushing some people out.

Murmuring is a deplorable deterrent to a harmonious fellowship, yet God used it to get the disciples attention. Those that needed daily attention due to their age and social status were being neglected.

This neglect of the Hellenist widows during the daily distribution of food was causing undue grief and needed to be corrected by the leadership. By God's grace the problem was dealt with, but the lesson remains.

And during these 40 days, let us pray that today's church not make the same mistake of forgetting the contributions of our seniors, or the needs of the weakest among us, the unborn.

------------------------------ ------------------
PRAYER
------------------------------------------------------

Father, in the Church's desire to engage our communities with the Gospel let her not disengage from those who need their care and company the most.

Let us gain wisdom from those who have gone before us and cherish their experiences and perspectives. Help us to appreciate every soul in the body of Christ and minister properly to everybody. Amen.

good question!

------------------------------------------------------
DAY 31 INTENTION
------------------------------------------------------

Pray for opportunities to share with an abortion- minded woman that the newness of life she is seeking is found only in Christ.

------------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
------------------------------------------------------

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.

-- 2 Corinthians 5:17

------------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Carmen Pate, Point of View
------------------------------------------------------

An unexpected pregnancy is perceived by many young women as the end of their life as they know it. News of an unexpected pregnancy pulls the rug from under her well laid plans.

Sadly, these women may choose abortion as a matter of self-preservation, believing that an abortion will help return life to normal and give them opportunity to start anew.

They don't see abortion as killing a child, but rather as saving their own life. Of course, abortion will not bring the newness of life they are seeking, but instead will bring death to their child, lifelong regret, and unexpected -- possibly devastating -- consequences to their own life.

Abortion will be the choice made if we don't meet them at the crossroad between life and death with a better way.

Almost without exception, these young women are looking for love, acceptance, and to be valued.

In their efforts to have those needs met, they have become promiscuous. Most, if honest, will admit the needs were only met momentarily, if at all, during their brief encounter, and afterward the needs returned unmet.

The truth is, only Christ loves them unconditionally with an everlasting love. Only Christ will accept them as they are, and only Christ sees them for their true value in Him.

He has a perfect plan for each woman and her child if only she will allow Christ to transform her life as she surrenders to Him.

No, an unexpected pregnancy is not the end of life, but rather can be the beginning of two beautiful lives if God's plan for them is given opportunity to unfold.

------------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
------------------------------------------------------

Heavenly Father, you give us a new song, a new purpose, a new direction, a new perspective.

You remind us that the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Christ came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly.

Give us boldness to share this Good News with those at the crossroads. May they choose life for their children and enjoy newness of life in You. Because of Christ we pray, Amen.

At the Cross, Mary weeps for her Son.

In today's world, Mary weeps for all the aborted children.

February 25 – April 5, 2009
Day 31— 283 babies saved

http://www.sentinel.org/node/9916

MLK clinic protesters still hopeful

By Ed Langlois

They may no longer be able to halt construction, but those troubled by a new abortion center in Northeast Portland hope they can re-build hearts.

“We want to reach out to women so this place goes out of business for lack of customers,” said Paul Ostermann, a member of nearby Holy Rosary Parish. He and about 20 others stood vigil in the dark one night last week, praying a rosary across the street from the big machinery and foundations of a large Planned Parenthood clinic and office.

“I’m here as a sign that there are many of us who feel this does not belong here in this neighborhood or anywhere in this state,” Ostermann said. “We are going to keep trying to make our voices heard as long as it takes.”

A woman drove by and asked what the gathering was about. Ostermann explained and invited her to join. She seemed sympathetic, but zoomed away into the darkness.

The group — adults, children and one Boston terrier — prayed intrepidly with candles. They presented presented a glow to motorists, one of whom honked a long blast of derision.

“We pray the women entering this abortion clinic feel love and healing from us,” Christina DeGoede told the group.

DeGoede is coordinator of a 40-day vigil that is continuing at the site, at the corner of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Beech Street.

An all-day rally was held Saturday at the construction site.

“Our goal is not to destroy those at Planned Parenthood and all of their supporters; our goal is to convert them with our peaceful presence and constant prayer,” says Bill Diss. He is a public high school teacher and Holy Rosary parishioner who for two years has led a movement aimed at thwarting abortions and what he considers Planned Parenthood’s messages that promote promiscuity.

The 40 Days for Life peaceful vigils are part of a nationwide campaign at abortion sites. Organizers say they have saved 13 babies so far this year through their witness.
Another vigil, this one even smaller, caught the attention of Oregonians this month. Fourteen people gathered on the steps of the Oregon Capitol in Salem March 12 and voiced protest over state funding of abortion.

The Oregon Health Plan, the state’s health insurance for the needy, pays for abortion. More than $3 million is expected to go out in the next two years for about 8,000 abortions.

------------------------------------------------------
DAY 32 INTENTION
------------------------------------------------------

May we come to know that divine life, in relationship, creates human life.

------------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
------------------------------------------------------

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

-- John 1:1-3

------------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Rev. Paul Stallsworth, Lifewatch
------------------------------------------------------

"In the beginning" was God.

Always, before all times, there was God.

This particular God -- the God of the Bible, the God of St. John's Gospel -- is different from all other gods. This God is alive and full of life.

This God is not the picture of deadness and death, aloneness and isolation.

This God is the picture of life, relationship, and unity. For within this God, within this one God, there are three divine persons who live, who love, and who work -- together. This is the glorious mystery of the Trinity.

The Trinity means divine life. The Trinity means three, living Persons -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- who relate to each other. The Trinity means mutual love and service among three Persons.

The Word was always with God the Father. This Word was, is, and will be the Trinity's second person. The Word is also the Son of God or, as revealed in time, Jesus Christ.

God the Father and God the Son live, love, and work for each other. As one, they create "all things" together: the Father creates all things, including all human life, through the Son.

So the Father, through the Son, creates all human lives. The little one swimming in his mother's womb, the infant smiling in his father's arms, the child crying in pain in a hospital bed, the energetic teen running another mile, the old man gasping for his last breath -- all were created, at their beginning, by the Father through the Son.

No exceptions. Divine life creates human life.

------------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
------------------------------------------------------

O God, may we always be quick to call you Father. And when we call you father, let your Spirit remind us that we, and all people, from their beginning to their last day, are your children.

We praise you, Father, that you sent your Son to reveal to the world that all people are His brothers and sisters, that all people are your children. Through Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

More than 130 communities in the United States, Canada, Australia and Northern Ireland are hosting 40 Days for Life events through April 5. Please check out the complete list ... and today's devotional.

The pro-life movement is gaining momentum! At national, state and local events, large crowds have been reported at Roe v. Wade memorial events and we’ve been getting reports from across the country about a heightened level of enthusiasm for the current 40 Days for Life campaign.

http://www.sentinel.org/node/9916

MLK clinic protesters still hopeful